At First Light: The Dawning of Asian Pacific America

On May 25, we are opening At First Light: The Dawning of Asian Pacific America,a multimedia exhibition that explores and celebrates the emergence of a politically defined Asian Pacific American consciousness and identity. A co-production of Visual Communications (VC) and JANM, At First Light chronicles the transformation of the un-American categorization of “Oriental” to the political identity of “Asian Pacific American” that rejected racist stereotypes, stood up for human rights, recovered lost histories, and created new cultural expressions. The exhibition draws from the collection of VC, the first Asian Pacific American media organization in the country, which formed in Los Angeles in 1970 to capture and cultivate the newfound unity that was Asian Pacific America.

Scholar, author, producer, and JANM Chief Curator Karen Ishizuka, part of the curatorial team who helped put At First Light together, says that selecting from thousands of photographs, hundreds of films, and a vast array of educational materials produced during the first 20 years of VC’s existence was the most challenging part of creating this exhibition. Ultimately, there are 30 short videos telling the stories of places, like Historic Manilatown, and events, such as the first Asian American march against the Vietnam War.

The largest artifact in the exhibition is a free-standing cube sculpture created by VC Founding Director Robert A. Nakamura in 1970.  Featuring then never-before-seen photographs of America’s World War II concentrations camps, the sculpture was conceived to promote awareness for the repeal of the Emergency Detention Act of 1950, which granted the government the power to preventatively detain people during an emergency. Wanting to start an Asian Pacific American media organization, Nakamura called it a production of Visual Communications.

Ishizuka also says that she is most looking forward to displaying a new video installation entitled FSN 1972, which repurposes early VC productions. Onto the windows and doorways of a 1972 graphic of East First Street in Little Tokyo, filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura inserted motion picture footage from VC films to invoke the current issue of preserving Little Tokyo and the Save First Street North campaign.

The resiliency and resistance embodied in At First Light serve as a reminder—as well as a call to action—of what can be accomplished when people unite as a community with commitment. Ishizuka says she hopes visitors learn about how VC has used media as a tool for self-empowerment and community building and that there has been a long history of community activism that must be continued.

To commemorate the opening day of the exhibition on May 25 at 2:00 p.m. JANM will host VC co-founders and exhibition curators Duane Kubo, Robert Nakamura, and Eddie Wong in a panel discussion about the history of VC and the creation of this show. They will be joined by Karen Ishizuka, who will moderate the discussion, helping to place VC’s history as the first Asian Pacific American media organization in the country within the context of today’s changing world. RSVP here.

Highlights from the L.A. Premiere Screening of Mrs. Judo at JANM

Mrs. Judo Screening

On November 16, 2013 the Los Angeles premiere of Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful was held at JANM.

Mrs. Judo is a documentary by Yuriko Gamo Romer, that captures the late Keiko Fukuda as she reflects on her life and the choice she made to defy thousands of years of tradition, follow her own path, and ultimately become judo history’s only woman to attain the pinnacle 10th degree.

A live demonstration of “Ju-no-kata”, a signature form of Fukuda-Sensei, precedes the film screening.
A live demonstration of “Ju-no-kata”, a signature form of Fukuda-Sensei, preceded the film screening.

The program opened with a live demonstration of “Ju-no-kata,” Fukuda’s signature form, by Charmaine Galvez & Robin Fernandez of Jundokai Judo and Jujitsu Club of La Mirada. Ju-no-kata is designed to teach the fundamental principles of judo, especially the principle of ju (yielding or gentleness). It consists of three sets of techniques and is performed by a pair of people, one acting as an uke (the person who “receives” an attack) and the other a tori (the executor of a technique).

The panel is made up of Yuriko Gamo Romer, Hal Sharp, Kenji Osugi, and Robin Fernandez.
The panel was made up of Yuriko Gamo Romer, Hal Sharp, Kenji Osugi, and Robin Fernandez.

Following the screening of the film, director Yuriko Gamo Romer, judo demonstrator Robin Fernandez, Hal Sharp of Gardena Judo Club, and Kenji Osugi of Sawtelle Judo Dojo discussed the cultural traditions and relations that continue from Japan to the U.S. through judo.

When it was time for the Q&A session, many audience members expressed positive feedback, and thanked the director for the wonderful documentary.

Check out these photos from the Mrs. Judo Screening!

 

Photo Credits: Russell Kitgawa

Read our interview with director Yuriko Gamo Romer on DiscoverNikkei.org >>

Catch the Los Angeles Premiere of “Mrs. Judo” at JANM on Saturday, November 16th!

fukuda_photoOn Saturday, November 16th at 2pm JANM will be screening a full-length documentary chronicling the life long journey of the late Keiko Fukuda, a renowned pioneer of women’s judo. Yuriko Gamo Romer’s film, Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, documents Keiko Fukuda’s decision to defy thousands of years of tradition, choose her own path, and become judo history’s only woman to attain the pinnacle 10th degree.

 

 

cade-fukuda-1974-liftA live demonstration of “Ju-no-kata”, a signature form of Fukuda-Sensei, will precede the film screening and will be performed by Robin Fernandez and Charmaine Galvez, with narration by Greg Fernandez Jundokai Judo and Jujitsu Club of La Mirada.

A Q&A session will follow screening with filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer and panelists who will discuss the legacy of Keiko Fukuda and the Japanese cultural traditions and relations that continue from Japan to the U.S. through judo.

Don’t miss the Los Angeles Premiere of Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, along with a special judo demonstration, and a Q&A session!

Read an interview with director Yuriko Gamo Romer on Discover Nikkei >> 

Photo Credits: mrs.judomovie.com

 *****

For more information on Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, please visit: www.mrsjudomovie.com

This screening is part of the Tateuchi Public Program Series, organized in partnership between the Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation and the Japanese American National Museum. Tateuchi Public Programs develop presentations that explore the connections between Japan and the United States in the context of politics, art, music, and culture. The program series is created annually with the objective of enhancing understanding between the two countries. Learn more about Tateuchi Public Programs, at: www.janm.org/events/tateuchi

To stay updated on JANM’s events, please visit our events page: www.janm.org/events